Thisfunktional Magazine

Float Celebrates Dole's Commitment to the Community, the Environment and Sustainability

Dole Packaged Foods, LLC is proud to announce that its 2018 Rose Parade® float, Sharing Nature's Bounty, took home the Grand Marshal award in this year's Tournament of Roses Parade. Dole®has taken home eight float awards since 2011 and holds the record for the most Sweepstakes Trophy wins.

Inspired by the circle of life, Sharing Nature's Bounty features large animals from various ecosystems, a 16-foot tall waterfall flowing with over 2,000 gallons of recycled water and flowery detail made of more than 60,000 individual flowers.

The float also serves to celebrate Dole's long-standing passion for environmental protection and sustainability in areas where the company grows and packages its products.

Reinforcing the 2018 Rose Parade theme "Making a Difference," Sharing Nature's Bounty celebrates Dole's passion of giving back to the community through its partnership with FOOD Share (Feeding America's Ventura County branch).

This dynamic partnership builds upon DOLE's efforts to support underserved communities that are in need.

"We are extremely thrilled and honored to receive the Grand Marshal award for our Sharing Nature's Bounty float this year," David Spare, Vice President of Marketing, Dole Packaged Foods, said. "The parade theme gave us the privilege to emphasize the importance of giving back, to enrich people's lives and be a source of hope and inspiration for all communities."

About FOOD ShareNearly 40 years ago, eight citizens performed a good deed by distributing food to those who were in need underneath a Ventura bridge. The early philanthropic movement quickly formed into what is now Ventura County's regional food bank, FOOD Share, which has grown from serving a few hundred hungry people per month to 74,500 people. Today, staff and volunteers distribute more than 11 million pounds of food, or 9 million meals, annually from its distribution sites; more than 200 partner agencies, which include neighborhood and church food distributions and soup kitchens; as well as hunger assistance programs. FOOD Share's programs provide healthy nutrition and education to children, families and seniors, which include: Kids'' Farmers' Market, Senior Kits, Nutrition Education, Community Markets, and more. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, FOOD Share is a member of the Feeding America network, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization. For more information about FOOD Share, visit foodshare.com.

About the Pasadena Tournament of Roses®The Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that hosts America's New Year Celebration® with the Rose Parade® presented by Honda, the Rose Bowl Game® presented by Northwestern Mutual and a variety of accompanying events. 935 volunteer members of the association will drive the success of 129th Rose Parade themed "Making A Difference," on Monday, January 1, 2018, followed by the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 104th Rose Bowl Game. For more information, visit tournamentofroses.com. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.